A delegation from the Coalition of Northern Groups drawn from the nineteen states in the Northern part of the country, has called on Nigerian leaders to adopt the peace model of Governor Udom Emmanuel in Akwa Ibom State, as a panacea for security and development of the nation.
Speaking at an interactive session with the national executive council members of the Maintain Peace Movement, the leader of the delegation, Dr Buhari Bala, lauded Governor Emmanuel for being an advocate of peace and maintained that there was a need for this template to be established across the entire country.
Dr. Bala, a former Minister of Foreign Affairs said, " I'm here today with members of Coalition of Northern groups.
"They came into existence not quite long ago but have been major contributors since the emergence of democracy in 1999.
"You are very much aware of our experience in the North. We have come to where there is peace because where there is peace, there's development and progress.
"We are here with these young minds to see what we can do. They are already perplexed at what they have seen and can't believe such is happening in Nigeria after their visit to project sites", he added.
Also speaking the leader of the Northern coalition group, Alhaji Balarabe Rufai noted that their visit was inspired by the launching of MPM as well as Governor Emmanuel's lecture at the Arewa House in Kaduna, where he harped on the Peace and Security and unity in diversity of the nation.
This, they said, moved them to come down and see things for themselves, with a view to getting the message back to their respective governments.
"At the time when we felt there was some misunderstanding between us and some politicians in the south, he broke the jinx and extended hands of friendship.
"He delivered a lecture on peace and unity, he said Nigeria is one, indivisible and will progress, so we took interest on him”, he said
He commended the Governor for the numerous industrial developmental projects across the state.
“We have seen the new roads and industries in the state, and we saw that the coconut oil factory is about to commence production, we hope that the 3000 employees at the factory will be youths”,
Responding, the National Chairman of the Maintain Peace Movement, Barr.Emmanuel Enoidem, welcomed the delegation to Akwa Ibom State while stating that the MPM executive members are excited to interface with them.
He blamed the numerous insecurity challenges in Nigeria on bad leadership and urged them to vote right in the upcoming elections
"The problem of Nigeria is leadership, Injustice and unemployment ,once we have the right leaders everything will be okay.
Enoidem, National Legal Adviser of the PDP, maintained that by 2015 when APC took over the national leadership of the country, Nigeria was the biggest economy in Africa and one of the fastest growing economies in the world.
He lamented that poor leadership has made the country to experience several socio- political issues.
" Today there's no part of Nigeria that is not engulfed with conflict.
"At this point, it is no longer the sole responsibility of Government that's why the Governor conceived this idea , the Maintain Peace Movement to consolidate the reign of peace.
“We have gone round the entire state. We will go round villages soon to ensure that we have our eyes at the last point”, Enoidem assured.
He noted that when a place does not have a genuine efforts at ensuring peace, such a place will be badly affected by crises, adding that peace does not drop from the sky but comes as a result of a deliberate effort of people.
Barr Enoidem, described Governor Emmanuel's emergence in 2014 as Divinely orchestrated, while thanking God for giving Akwa Ibom State a peace loving leader who is developing the state industrially.
He urged Nigerians to drop political sentiments and look for someone genuinely capable of rescuing Nigeria, in terms of vibrancy, experience and competency at all levels.
Among members of the Maintain Peace Movement Executive who graced the meeting include, Pst Aniekan Akpan PDP Chairman Akwa Ibom State, Sir Monday Ebong Uko , Obong Paul Ekpo, Prince Enobong Uwah, and other Members of the MPM National Exco.
IbomInkNews
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